


Home is Where You Are

by lesbianchloeprice



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 07:26:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14051928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianchloeprice/pseuds/lesbianchloeprice
Summary: "The nervous butterflies in Max's stomach didn't show any sign of stopping and she sighed resolutely. She pressed the apartment key into Chloe's hand and looked up at her. 'I got us an apartment.'"After months of running, Max Caulfield thinks it's high time to leave the past in the past.





	Home is Where You Are

The cold metal edges of the apartment key pressed almost painfully into Max Caulfield’s palm, squeezing it like it might up and walk away if it got the chance. The minutes ticked by painfully slow and Max couldn’t help but pace the length of the motel room—the place they’d called home for the past week.

Since the two left Arcadia Bay the previous October, they had become their own version of transients; driving from town to town, state to state, staying in whatever motel was the cheapest and when they couldn’t afford that, slumming it in Chloe’s truck on the side of the road. Max had never imagined she would be a homeless high school dropout, traveling across the country with her blue-haired childhood-best-friend-turned-girlfriend, but for the past year Max wouldn’t have changed it for the world—because no matter how they lived, she had Chloe.

Their wounds had been too fresh, too raw, for them to comfortably settle anywhere, and despite numerous offers from Max’s parents to stay with them in Seattle, both girls had preferred—no, needed—their life on the road. Max had to admit that for a long time she and Chloe were both using this to run away from things too painful to talk about, but they could only pretend for so long. Now, countless nights and many tears later, Max finally felt like it was time to plant their roots. Well, at least plant them for longer than a week or two at a time.

Max had been talking with her parents for about a month now, and the time had finally come to share the news with Chloe. They would be living in a one bedroom studio apartment right outside Seattle, Max’s parents footing the bill, on the condition that Max would get her GED and a part-time job. Chloe wouldn’t like it, taking money from Max’s parents, but it was the only way they could manage to pull this off. Once Max and Chloe settled in and found jobs, they’d pay for the apartment themselves.

The rattle of Chloe’s truck pulling into the motel parking lot jolted Max out of her thoughts, and suddenly she was worried about how Chloe would react. Was she as ready to stop running as Max was? Would she be angry that Max hadn’t discussed it with her first? Max tried to swallow down the growing fear, but she could feel the nervous butterflies in her stomach grow stronger.

Before Chloe could unlock the door herself Max flung it open, causing Chloe to jump and drop the motel key. “Jesus, Max, you sure know how to scare a girl half to death,” she said breathlessly, her lips quirking up in a smile. Max smiled back, albeit nervously, and stepped aside so Chloe could come in.

“Sorry,” Max replied, a shadow of a blush ghosting her cheeks. “I guess I’ve been a little impatient for you to get back.” Chloe grinned, shutting the motel door behind her and taking a couple steps inside. Instead of saying anything, she pulled Max into her arms and planted a kiss on her forehead.

“I missed you, too, Maximus,” she said playfully. “But the lawns of Seattle needed a-mowing, and who am I to ignore their calls?” Chloe and Max had been surviving off of odd jobs they found wherever they travelled—Chloe doing any sort of physical labor and Max as a freelance photographer. It was safe to say that Chloe was having a bit more luck finding work.

Max giggled and untangled herself from Chloe’s arms. “I can tell. No offense, but you reek.” Max crinkled her nose playfully as Chloe scoffed, feigning annoyance.

“You mean you don’t love the smell of stale sweat on this fine Thursday evening?” Max rolled her eyes and took a step back, suddenly remembering the now-warm apartment key she was clutching so tightly. Immediately her demeanor changed, and she bit her lip nervously.

“You okay, Super Max?” Chloe questioned, eyebrows furrowing in concern. She took a step closer and pushed a loose strand of hair behind Max’s ear.

Max took a deep breath, smiling nervously. “I have some… News,” Max replied cautiously. Her hand squeezed the key tighter almost unconsciously. Chloe nodded expectantly, waiting for Max to continue.

Max took a deep breath and suddenly all the words came rushing out of her. “I-got-us-an-apartment-and-I’m-sorry-I-didn’t-tell-y—” Chloe cut her off.

“Whoa, whoa, slow down Max, I can barely understand what you’re saying.” Chloe chuckled, but her eyes showed a sliver of worry. “What’s going on?”

The nervous butterflies in Max’s stomach didn’t show any sign of stopping and she sighed resolutely. She pressed the apartment key into Chloe’s hand and looked up at her. “I got us an apartment.” Chloe’s eyes widened in surprise, but before she could interject Max rushed on. “I know I didn’t discuss it with you, but I really feel… I don’t know, Chlo, I just think it’s time. To settle down, I mean.” Max couldn’t read Chloe’s expression and suddenly the butterflies felt more like fighter jets. She rushed on. “We’ve been running for so long, and I’m so tired, Chloe. I know things have been, like, the epitome of fucked, but I wouldn’t change anything. I don’t—I don’t regret my choice for a second, Chloe. I know it makes me the most selfish person on Earth, but I would choose you over and over again. I love you, and I think it’s time that we let the past be in the past. I think it’s time to… I don’t know, to start our future, I guess. To move forward.”

When Max gathered the courage to lift her head, she was startled to see Chloe’s eyes shining with unshed tears. Max’s heart plummeted. “Oh, Chloe, I’m so sorry; I knew I should have talked to you first, are y—” But before Max could continue with her frantic apology, Chloe pressed her lips against hers. Max’s eyes widened before fluttering shut, and suddenly she was melting into the kiss, Chloe’s lips soft and warm against hers, and slowly the butterflies faded into a familiar warmth. Chloe pulled away and wiped at her eyes, laughing loudly.

“Max, I—holy shit, dude, I don’t even know what to say except I love you.” Chloe’s voice was watery and suddenly Max found herself blinking back tears, too. “God, I love you so much.” And then they were kissing again, deeply and tenderly, and Max knew that she could stay there forever if the world would allow it.

Eventually Chloe broke the kiss, resting her forehead against Max’s and sighing contentedly. Max kept her eyes closed, her hands absentmindedly tracing lines up and down Chloe’s sides, a lingering smile on her face. They stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other, living in the moment, before Chloe broke the silence.

“So,” she murmured. “An apartment, huh?” She chuckled and Max could feel Chloe’s eyelashes flutter against her skin. “How are we affording this?”

Max hummed in acknowledgement. “My parents.” Chloe stiffened slightly, but when she didn’t protest, Max continued. “It’s just until I get my GED. They said it’s the equivalent of paying for Blackwell, so it evens out. Once I finish and we both get jobs, we’ll take over.” Chloe visibly relaxed, and she traced circles on Max’s lower back absentmindedly.

“That sounds fair.” She let out a long sigh before stepping out of Max’s arms. Max whined in protest and Chloe pressed a gentle kiss on her cheek, grasping Max’s hands in hers. Max could feel the key still held in Chloe’s fist and smiled despite herself.

Chloe gazed at her intently and Max found herself blushing. “What?” she muttered bashfully, looking down.

“Nothing,” Chloe replied warmly. She brushed her thumb over Max’s cheek. “Let’s go home.”

 

           

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the first fic I've completed in years, and of course it's Pricefield. Thanks so much for reading, any feedback you have would be greatly appreciated!


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